Elsky



(No Model.)

H. A JEWELSKY.

SHOE.

No. 525,079. Patented Aug. 28, 1894.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I-IAMOND A. JEWELSKY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 525,079, dated August 28, 1894.

Application filed June 4, 1894. Serial No. 513,359. (No model.)

shoe can be buttoned throughout the entire length of the buttoning devices by a single operation and without the troublesome and difficult method now practiced,'of buttoning each button in succession.

Broadly stated, my invention consists in attaching to the flap of the shoe, two strips of metal or equivalent material, one of them be- 1ng permanently fastened to the leather of the flap, and the other adapted to slide over it under spring action. These pieces of metal have holes in them of such size as to easily permit the head of the button or other fasteningdevice to pass through them, when they reglster with one another, and the construction is such that when the heads of the buttons in the two plates, have been passed through the holes during the time that they register with each other, then upon relieving the pressure, the spring causes the metallic pieces to change their relative positions, and the sliding action of the movable part, causes the heads of the buttons to be caught between the edges of the metallic pieces, as they slide past each other; thus the shoe is closed and firmly held together.

Among the advantagessecured by my invention are: The automatic action of the device in fastening all of the buttons in one and the same operation; also time and trouble are greatly saved; also the buttons are not so apt to be pulled ofi from the shoe as they are when the ordinary button-hook is used: it being well-known that the strain applied by the button-hook is the cause of tearing the buttons ofi, rather than the strain upon them during actual use.

In the drawings hereof: Figure 1. represents an elevation of the invention showing the flap of the shoe, as being turned back and a pore tion'of the lining leather, and also of the leather to which the stationary metallic strip is fastened, being cut away. Fig. 2, illustrates an edgewise sectional view of the metallic pieces, showing also the two pieces of leather to the left of the metallic pieces. Fig. 3, illustrates the stationary metallic piece, as it is before being applied to the shoe. Fig. 4, illustrates the movable metallic piece as it is before application to the shoe. Fig. 5, illustrates a detail showing one of the buttons, when located and held by the metallic strips. Fig. 6, illustrates the upper fastening device, which'is preferably used instead of a button.

A illustrates the shoe.

B, B, &;c., are the buttons.

0 is the flap of the shoe.

D (see Figs. 2 and 3) is-the stationary piece of metal. It is provided with laterally projecting pins E, whereby it is secured to the flap of the shoe by being thrust through a strip of leather F, which is securely sewed to the shoe.

G (see Figs. 2 and 4) is a lining leather sim ply for the purpose of ornamentation, which is sewed to the back edge of the flap part of the shoe, and is pasted at all other points, although it may be sewed also all round the edges, if desired, to the attaching strip F, and'over the bent-down pins E of the metallic strip D.

H, H, &c., are holes in the stationary strip, so spaced in it as to coincide with the but tons B.

I is the-movable metallic strip, which is in like manner provided with holes J, of the same size as the holes in the other strip, and which are spaced in it, the same as in the metallic strip D. K, K are small headed pins. riveted to the metallic strip D, and which slide through slots L in the strip I. They serve to guide and support the strip I.

M is a tubular casing made on the movable strip I, in which is located a spring N. This spring abuts against the upper end of the easing at one end, and against a pin 0, which moves through a slot P (see Fig. 4) at the other end.

Q (see Figs. 2 and 3) is a tubular casing attached to the strip D, within which the tubular casing M slides, and R is an exterior casing. It is preferably made of black enameled work, or it may be of highly decorated or polished metal, and it covers the entire casing Q, and afifords a recess S, at its lower end, in which the end of the casing M may move when the device is operated. This gives a somewhat better finish to the device, as awhole.

T (see Fig. 5) is an outer finishing piece of leather, beneath which the fastening devices are placed, so that they are out of sight, and in this piece of leather, I make dummy button-holes, and fasten dummy buttons in the proper places in the button holes, so as to present the appearance of an ordinary buttoned shoe. These button holes and their buttons, however, serve no purpose excepting to give the appearance to the shoe of being ordinary buttoned shoes.

U, U, 85., (see Fig. 3) are slits madein the upper base part of the strip of metal D, through which projecting prongs on the exterior casing B may be passed, which are clinched on the under side so as to confine that casing in position when it is used.

V (see Fig. 1) is a substitute for the upper button, taking the place of one of the buttons B. It is simply a rectangular piece of metal, having a shank and fastening device, the same as a button, but its outward end is formed at right angles as shown at Fig. 6. It passes through an opening W (see Figs. 1 and 2) in the upper end of the stationary metal strip D and passes behind and is caught by a tongueYon the movable strip when the movable strip is retracted by the spring. I prefer to curve this tongue away from the spring, so as to leave space behind it for the catch B to pass, without incurring the risk of interference with the spring N.

The operation is as follows: The shoe is put upon the foot of the wearer, as usual. Then the casing M is pressed downwardly, overcoming the action of the spring N. In so doing the holes J in the movable strip I are caused to register with the holes H in the stationary strip D. The heads of the rivets K, during this operation, slide through the slots L in the movable strip. When the holes have been made toregister, then the flap is folded over upon the buttons B' and with an upward sweeping movement of the left hand, the right hand meantime compressing the spring, as stated, the buttons B are caused to pass through the holes in both of the metallic strips, and the fastening device V enters the opening W. Thereupon, pressure upon the casing M is removed and the spring N immediately retracts the movable strip I; thus the heads of all the buttons are caught between the edges of the holes in the two strips, as shown in Fig. 5, and also the upper fastening device V is caught by the tongue Y, as above described.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction shown, because it will be evident to those who are familiar with this art, that modifications may be made in the details of construction, and still the essential features of my invention be employed.

I claim The combination in a shoe of two metallic strips superposed one upon the other, an attaching leather sewed to the shoe, tack points upon one of said strips, whereby it is permanently fixed to the attaching leather. guiding devices between the movable and the fixed strips, holes in both of the strips, buttons on the opposite side of the shoe opening, and a spring which engages with the movable strip, whereby it is moved so that the holes in the two strips are ordinarily out of register with each other, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 31st day of May, A. D. 1894.

HAMOND A. J EVVELSKY.

Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, JOHN E. LAOEY. 

